Inter-Athletic Council of
Officials
New Official’s Basketball Class
Module 12
Foul Calling
Foul Calling

At the completion of this Module the
student should:
◦ Understand what is the different types of
fouls are
◦ Understand the difference between player and
team control fouls
◦ Know what a the implications of a double foul
◦ Know where the foul calling area is located
Key Terms
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Airborne Shooter
Contact
Incidental Contact
Verticality
Blocking
Charging
Hand Check
Holding
Illegal Use of Hands
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Player-Control
Team Control Foul
Pushing
Screening
Intentional Foul
Flagrant Foul
Shooting Foul
Fighting
FOUL REPORTING
MECHANICS
Foul Reporting Procedure

Call the Foul
◦ Give foul called signal

Give Preliminary Signal (Required)
◦ Example:
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Hold
Push
Hand-checking
Illegal Use of Hand
Player-Control Foul
Team Control Foul
Foul Reporting Procedure

Inform Partners of situation
◦
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◦
◦
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Out of bounds spot
Shooting Fouls
Bonus
Free throw shooter (if necessary)
Hustle to the reporting area
◦ Completely stop when you get there
◦ No walking and talking
Foul Reporting Procedure

Report with strong voice
◦ Color
◦ Number
◦ NO POINTING TO THE BENCH

Give signal you reported at the spot of the foul

Status of the ball
◦ Free throws
◦ Throw-in spot
Foul Reporting Area
Bench
Table
Bench
T
L
L
T
Stop the clock
Preliminary
Signal
What are we
doing next?
(Appropriate Signal)
Trail calls Foul (Half court)
Bench
Table
L
3
3
5
5
4
4
1
2
2
1
T
Bench
Lead Calls Foul (Half court)
Bench
Table
3
3
L
5
5
2
2
4
4
1
1
T
Bench
Example: Proper Foul Sequence
Non-calling official

When foul is called
◦ Freeze your eyes
◦ Move to throw-in spot or FT lane
◦ DO NOT CHASE THE BALL DOWN!!!!
All officials
Take your time
 Get the administration of foul right
 Dead ball officiating is sometimes more
important than live ball officiating
 Hustle to get ball back in play
 Make sure all officials are in position and
ready to go before putting ball back in play

Foul Calling Review
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Is severe contact allowed by the rules?
Can a defender move after establishing Legal
Guarding Position?
When do you call a flagrant foul?
What is considered fighting?
How many free throws do you award during an
intentional foul?
Who do you call a player control foul on?
 When do you file a Special Report?

CONTACT
Contact

Rule 10-6

Players shall not:
◦ Hold, Push, charge, trip or impede progress of
an opponent by extending arm(s), shoulder(s),
hip(s) or knee(s) or by bending his/her body
into other than normal position; nor use any
rough tactics
LEGAL GUARDING
POSITION
Legal Guarding Position
Rule 4-23
 Guarding is an act to place the body in
the path of an offensive opponent.

Obtaining LGP
◦ Player must have both feet on the floor
◦ Front of the player’s torso must be facing the
opponent
Legal Guarding Position

Maintaining LGP
◦ Player may have one or both feet on the playing court
or be airborne provided they have inbound status.
◦ Does not have to face opponent
◦ Player may move laterally or obliquely to maintain
position, provided they are not moving towards
opponent
◦ Player may raise hands or jump within his/her vertical
plane
◦ Player may turn or duck to absorb the shock or
imminent contact
Legal Guarding Position

Time and distance is never a factor before
contact

If opponent with the ball is airborne, the
player must have maintained LGP before
opponent left the floor
AIRBORNE SHOOTER
Airborne Shooter

Definition
◦ Player that has released the ball on a try for
goal
◦ Player that has tapped the ball
◦ Airborne shooter is considered in the act of
shooting
◦ Considered a shooter until player has
returned to the floor
Airborne shooter example
SHOOTING FOUL
Shooting Foul

Starts with contact during the habitual motion
to the basket

Contact applies on a try or tap for goal

Shooting player is allowed to finish motion to
the basket

Being on or off the floor are not factors
Example: Shooting foul
Example: Continuous Motion
Example: Continuous Motion
PLAYER-CONTROL
FOUL
Player-Control

Any common foul involving the ball
carrier

Airborne shooter is still considered in
player control even if ball is not in his/her
hands
Player Control Foul
Defender Jumps
Example: LGP and PC Foul
Example: Replay
INCIDENTAL CONTACT
Incidental Contact

Rule 4-27

Incidental Contact is contact with an opponent
which is permitted and which does not
constitute a foul

10 Players moving rapidly there is bound to be
contact
Incidental Contact

Contact which may result when opponents are
in equally favorable positions to perform normal
defensive or offensive movements, should not
be considered illegal, even though contact
may be severe

Similarly, contact which does not hinder the
opponent from normal defensive or
offensive movement, should be
considered incidental.
Example: Incidental Contact
Point of Emphasis 2011-2012
VERTICALITY
Verticality
Mark Cladis - JBOJeffrey Rutledge &
Octavio Herrera
42
Verticality
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Point of Emphasis 2010-2011
Applies to a legal position
Legal Guarding Position must be obtained
Defender may rise or jump vertically
Offensive player is responsible for clearing out or
causing contact with a vertical player
Defender cannot “belly up” or use lower body on
offensive player
Player with the ball is not given special protection
over the defender
Example: Verticality
Verticality
Example:Verticality
Example:Verticality
BLOCKING
Blocking

Not being in Legal Guarding Position

Contact mostly with the torso

Often called for illegal screens
PUSHING OR
CHARGING
Pushing or Charging

Moving into an opponent

Using arms to impede an opponent
POINT OF EMPHISIS 2011-2012
HAND CHECKING
Hand Checking

Defending may not use arm(s) to move,
direct, stop or impede and opponent with
the ball

Two hands on an opponent is by rule a
foul

Not called enough or consistently
Hand Checking
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Judgment Guideline:
◦ RSBQ
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Rhythm
Speed
Balance
Quickness
If any of these are changed “Call the
foul, players will adjust”
Example: Hand checking
Example: Hand checking
Example: Hand checking
Example: Hand checking
HOLDING
Holding

Players my not use arms to hold an
opponent to impede their progress
ILLEGAL USE OF
HANDS
Illegal Use of Hands

Players may not strike, slap or grab the
hands, arms or jersey of an opponent

“Reaching in” is not a foul
TEAM CONTROL FOUL
Team Control

Any common foul committed by the any player of
the team in control of the ball

Applies mostly on screens, post play or
interrupted dribbles

Does not apply on try for goals, taps,
rebounding or free-throws

New Rule added for throw-In when the ball is
at the disposal of the thrower (4-12-2d)
POINT OF EMPHISIS 2011-2012
SCREENING
Screening Basics

Two types of screens
◦ In the field of vision
◦ Blind

Screener can face any direction

Time and distance are relevant

“Moving screen” is not a foul
Screening Basics

Screener must be stationary, except when
both (screener and screened player) are
moving in the same path and direction

Screener must stay in his/her vertical
plane with a stance shoulder width apart
Displacement on Screens
Legal Screen
Illegal Screen
Blind Screens

Must allow a step of the screened player
Example: Illegal Screen
POINT OF EMPHISIS 2011-2012
REBOUNDING
Rebounding
To obtain legal rebounding position, players
my not:
◦ Displace, charge, or push and opponent
◦ Extend shoulders, hips, knees or extend the
arms or elbows fully or position other than
vertically
◦ Bend in an abnormal position to hold or
displace an opponent
◦ Violate the principles of verticality
Rebounding Action

Everyone has a right to their position on the
floor

Boxing out
◦ Holding your position is allowed
◦ Does not include “backing out” or pushing

Verticality also applies to rebounding plays
Example: Rebounding Foul
Example: Rebounding Foul
POINT OF EMPHISIS 2011-2012
POST PLAY
Post Play

Lead Official is mostly responsible for post players
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Primary coverage is largely in the post
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Identify who these players are early
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Each player has right to position on the floor
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Offense does not get special consideration
Post Play

Point of Emphasis 2011-2012:
◦ When a player dislodges an opponent from an
established position by pushing or “backing in”
is a foul
◦ When a player uses hands, forearms or
elbows to prevent an opponent from
maintaining a legal position, it is a foul
Do not only
penalize the
defense for
rough action
DOUBLE AND
SIMULTANEOUS FOULS
Double Fouls

Fouls committed by opponent against
each other at approximately the same
time

Can be personal or technical
Simultaneous Foul

A Personal or Technical Foul by
opponents is a situation which there is a
foul by both teams which occur
approximately at the same time, but are
not committed by opponents against each
other
POINT OF
INTERRUPTION
Point of Interruption

Rule 4-36-1

Applies to
◦ Double Personal Fouls
◦ Double Technical Fouls
◦ Simultaneous Fouls

Also applies to accidental whistles, an
interrupted game or correctable errors
MULTIPLE FOUL
Multiple Foul

A foul where two or more teammates
commit personal fouls against the same
opponent at approximately the same time.

Pick one or the other player

Do not call this!!!!!!
FALSE DEFINITION
FOULS
False Fouls

False Double Foul
◦ Rule 4-19-9
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False multiple Fouls
◦ Rule 4-19-12

These are “technical” definitions, not something
you actually call, but is a result of things called
INTENTIONAL FOUL
Intentional Foul

A personal or technical foul which
neutralizes an opponent’s obvious
advantageous position

Contact away from the ball

Not making a legitimate attempt to play
the ball
Intentional Foul

May or may not be predetermined

Are not solely based on severity of contact

Should be called if excessive contact is
caused by an opponent

Contact with the thrower-in
◦ New Rule Clarification
◦ Foul goes to offender
Intentional Foul
Penalty:

Award two shots and the ball on most intentional fouls

Award three shots and the ball on missed three point
attempts

Basket goes in during a shot, always award 2 (or 3)
points and the ball nearest the spot of the foul

Always the offended player shoots the free throws
◦ Exception: Injury to offended player
Example: Intentional Foul
FLAGRANT FOULS
Flagrant Foul

Personal or Technical foul that is
considered violent or savage in nature

Non-contact technical foul which displays
unacceptable in nature

May or may not be committed on
purpose
Flagrant Foul

If a personal foul, a flagrant foul involves but is
not limited to a violent contact such as:
 Striking
 Kicking
 Kneeing

If Technical, it involves dead ball contact or noncontact which is considered extreme or
persistent, vulgar or abusive contact
TECHNICAL FOULS
Technical Foul
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A foul by a non-player

A non-contact foul by a player

An intentional or flagrant contact foul
while the ball is dead (except airborne
shooter)
Technical Foul

Team Technical (Rule 10-1)
◦ Charged to team and not coach or player
 Failing to supply the scorer with the proper
information at the 10 minute mark
 Using a television monitor or computer as a replay
device for coaching purposes/use of megaphone or
electronic transmission device (cell phone)
 Failure to occupy team bench area
 Allowing the game to develop into an actionless
contest (5 items specifically)
Technical Foul

Team Technical (Rule 10-1)
◦ Charged to team and not coach or player
More than 5 players on the court
Request an excess time-out
Commit and unsporting foul
Fail to have all players return to the court at the
same time following a time-out or intermission
 Allow players to lock arms or grasp a teammate(s)
in an effort to restrict the movement of an
opponent
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Technical Foul
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Substitute Technical (Rule 10-2-1)
◦ A substitute shall not enter the court:
 Without reporting to the scorer
 Without being beckoned by an official, except
between quarters
Technical Foul

Player Technical
◦ A player shall not:
 Participate after changing their number without
reporting it to the scorer or official
 Purposely and/or deceitfully delay returning after legally
being out of bounds
 Grasp either basket during the official’s jurisdiction
 Before the game
 Halftime
 Illegally contact the basket or ring (explain later in
class)
 Delaying the game (4 items)
Technical Foul

Player Technical
◦ A player shall not:
 Commit and unsporting foul (included and not limited
to)
 Disrespectfully addressing/contacting an official or gesture that
incites resentment
 Using profane and inappropriate language or obscene gestures
 Baiting and taunting an opponent
 Purposely obstructing an opponent’s vision by waving or placing
hand(s) near his/her eyes
 Climbing on or lifting a teammate to secure greater height
 Using tobacco or smokeless tobacco
 Removing the jersey and/or pants/skirt within the visual confines
of the playing area
Technical Foul

Player Technical
◦ A player shall not:
 Intentionally or flagrantly contact an opponent when
the ball is dead and such contact is not a personal foul
 Fighting
 ONLY A FLAGRANT FOUL
 Goaltending during a free throw
 Reach through the throw-in boundary-line plane and
touch or dislodge ball
Technical Foul

Bench Technical
◦ Head coach is responsible for the conduct of
his/her bench’s behavior which includes:

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Assistant coaches
Substitutes
Disqualified team members
Trainers
Scorekeepers
Anyone else on the team bench
Technical Foul

Bench Technical
◦ Head coach is responsible for the conduct of
his/her bench’s behavior which includes:
 Commit an unsporting foul, included but not limited
to
 Most acts listed under Player Technical section
 Objecting to an official’s decision by rising from the bench
or using gestures
 Inciting undesired crowd reactions
 Fighting
 Removing jersey and/or pants/skirts within the confines of
the playing area
Technical Foul

Bench Technical
◦ Head coach is responsible for the conduct of
his/her bench’s behavior which includes:
 Enter the court unless by permission of an official
to attend to an injured player
 Use tobacco or smokeless tobacco
Technical Foul

Bench Technical
◦ Head coach is responsible for the conduct of
his/her bench’s behavior which includes:
 Stand a the team bench while the clock is running or
stopped and must remain seated except:
 The head coach
 When a team member is reporting to the scorer’s table
 During a charged Timeout or intermission between quarters and
extra periods
 Spontaneously reacting to outstanding play by team member or
acknowledge a replaced player(s) but must immediately return to
his/her seat
Technical Foul

Bench Technical
Results in two types of foul classifications:
◦ Direct technical
 charged to the head coach because of his/her actions or
permitting a player to participate after they have been disqualified
◦ An Indirect Technical
 charged to the head coach as a result of a bench technical
being assessed to bench personnel or a technical being assessed to
a team member for dunking or grasping the ring during pre-game
warm-ups
Technical Foul

Head coach can be disqualified or ejected with
Combination of:
◦ 3 Technical Fouls (1 Direct and 2 Indirect/3 Indirect)
◦ 2 Technical Fouls
◦ 1 Flagrant Technical Foul

Player can be ejected by being called for:
◦
◦
◦
◦
2 Technical Fouls
1 Flagrant Technical Foul
1 Flagrant Foul
5 Personal fouls is a disqualification
 Technical and common fouls go to the 5 fouls for disqualification
Technical Foul
Penalty:

All Technical Fouls give 2 shots and the
ball to the offended team.

Point of Interruption on all Double
Technical Fouls
FIGHTING
Fighting

Fighting is a flagrant act when the ball is live or dead

Attempting to strike, punch or kick by using fist, hands,
arms, legs or feet with or without contact

Attempting to instigate a fight by committing an
unsporting act that causes a person to retaliate by fighting

Ejection is required for fighting
Example: Fighting
IHSA SPECIAL
REPORTS
Special Reports

An IHSA Special Report should be filed:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
When any ejected player, coach or fan
24 hours after the contest
Online form on your personal IHSA Webpage
Be specific in report
Not to be used for a player that fouls out of game
Between the IHSA and the offended party what
penalty will ultimately be
◦ Once the decision is made, it cannot be taken
back!!!
◦ Can also be used for non ejection events
Foul Calling Review

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Is severe contact allowed by the rules?
Can a defender move after establishing Legal
Guarding Position?
When do you call a flagrant foul?
What is considered fighting?
How many free throws do you award during an
intentional foul?
Who do you call a player control foul on?
 When do you file a Special Report?

Module 12

Questions?
New Officials Basketball Class
Module 12
Foul Calling